


Dark Days Looking Brighter

by FlamingoLady



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-27
Updated: 2013-08-27
Packaged: 2017-12-24 18:52:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/943432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlamingoLady/pseuds/FlamingoLady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Draco had asked for Harry’s help at the Manor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dark Days Looking Brighter

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for **rmhale** , who was my giftee in the **leo-palooza** Secret Santa event. I’m incapable of writing decent smut so I tried to write a prompt you mentioned on Twitter a while back and the lovely Leo helped beta for me.

Malfoy Manor was no longer the home and haven it had always been to Draco Malfoy. Now it was more like Hell or prison, what with crazy auntie Bellatrix and the ever-present and horrific Dark Lord. As a boy, he had always seen his father as the perfect example of a man. He knew each and every word Lucius Malfoy spoke was to be listened to and all instructions or advice followed as closely as possible no matter how mad it sounded. Now, as a young man, he was coming to his own conclusions. His father was a weak man who hoped to ride the tails of a madman’s robes to fame, fortune, and power.

He had come to the realization while working on the Vanishing Cabinet that he was on the wrong side in this war of which he now found himself in the middle. The Order – and hell, even Harry fucking Potter – were better than having to torture, kill, and live in fear every second of every day. The side of Light was fighting against the Dark Lord and they were a damn sight closer to their goal than his side was. Lucius Malfoy was not at the right hand of his Master after his failures in assisting the Dark Lord back to power. He was a broken man.

Narcissa Malfoy, on the other hand, was a fighter. She understood what could happen to her family and took steps to protect her son, while she was resigned to the fact that her husband had chosen his own path. She was the epitome of a mother in that she would fight to the death for her son and Merlin be damned anyone who tried to hurt him. He took great comfort in this, but it also made him feel responsible for keeping her in danger.

Draco was trying to work out a way to get himself and his mother out of this ridiculous excuse for a life as soon as possible but he had no idea how to do this without getting them both killed. He knew that he would have to plead his case to his enemies, yet his hardest task of all would be to convince them that he really wanted out and wasn’t acting as a pawn like he had when he had let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts.

Draco and his family were on house arrest by order of the Dark Lord, and even if they did escape they would probably be hexed, cursed, or taken into custody as soon as they were seen by anyone in the Order. He knew that Potter wasn’t around, apparently on some mission given before Dumbledore’s death; but the other members were still doing what they could against the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort’s supporters. His options seemed very limited. It wasn’t like he could send a bloody owl to Potter requesting a sit down and tea to discuss the best way out of the Manor, was it? He was a persistent young man, though, and was determined that he would come up with something. He had to; he couldn’t let his mother be exposed to this insanity and horror every day. She deserved so much better and he was tired of being terrified to wake up every morning.

Days dragged by for everyone in the Manor. Draco began to lose hope and feared that he would fail again. He saw his chance soon enough, though. It came in the form of four bedraggled teens being dragged through the door by Greyback and a group of Snatchers. As soon as he saw Granger, Weasley, and the other Gryffindor he knew that the last boy was Potter. He was positive of it when he was forced to get close and look into those piercing green eyes – well, eye, really – but he saw his luck changing and he was going to grab onto his opportunity with both hands. He told his father and aunt that he couldn’t tell if it was Potter because of the Stinging Hex that he was sure Granger had thrown at him to help disguise his face. He just had to bide his time and he would eventually find a way to talk to Potter and his henchmen to appeal to their sympathy for the underdog. He was certainly that now.

He could see the surprise in Potter’s lovely eye when he refused to give him up immediately. He could also see the wheels turning in that sharp mind of his as he tried to figure out Draco’s motivation, but he thought that he saw a flash of something that may have been recognition of the tired and scared boy that was hiding just under the surface of the iron-clad mask Draco kept in place to survive. Now he just had to convince the man who had haunted his every misstep since first year that he was unwilling to remain in the service of the same madman that he had been harping about since they met, and that he wanted his nemesis to be the one to assist him. It didn’t help that he had also dreamed of those same gorgeous eyes watching him as he did unspeakable naughty things to the Savior of the Wizarding World.

Watching the Gryffindors being led down to the dungeons, Draco began to plot through each possibility of how to get himself assigned to some task or another that would make it necessary to go down there, where he would possibly be able to talk to Potter. When he glanced at his mother, he could tell that she saw straight through his act and that she would be helping in any way she could. That was why he loved his mother so bloody much. One way or another, he would be speaking with Harry and he was positive that he could get him to help his mother and himself if he just went about things the right way. Now, how does one appeal to the Slytherin side of a Gryffindor while trying to keep everyone alive?

Narcissa saw their opening when Bella screeched for someone to go retrieve the goblin. Narcissa immediately told Draco to go and he took that order with more enthusiasm than he'd had for anything in years. He maintained his Slytherin calm, though, and slowly stood from the chair he was lounging in and made his way down to the dungeons. He thought that he saw lights coming from the small barred window, but knew that couldn’t be the case. He moved on and was soon opening the door and making his presence known to the residents of the dank cell.

He could see Potter and Weasley standing nearer to the door than the others, but could also make out Luna’s blonde hair near the back. He told them he was there to collect Griphook, giving a pleading look to Potter as he spoke. Potter seemed to understand and slowly came a bit closer to his former schoolboy rival. Quickly he cast Muffliato around them so that he could try to explain what he wanted.

“What are you up to now, Malfoy? I don’t get why you didn’t just turn me over upstairs when you had your chance. Rather see us tortured a bit first before being thrown to You-Know-Who?” Harry spat.

Sighing like the poor, put-upon soul that he was, Draco tried to explain. “No, you bloody git, I was hoping that you would get out of here and end up killing the bastard. I’m tired of having the unwanted houseguest from hell, and Merlin knows that you’re the only one who can get rid of him. He’s gone 'round the bend even further than before. No one is safe here and even if you don’t give a damn about me, I beg that you try to get my mother out of here. She has tried to keep me safe, but that only keeps her in the line of any hex, jinx, or curse the bloody sadist and my crazy fucking aunt decide to throw our way. I’m begging you, please help her.”

Looking confused, Potter asked softly, “So you don’t want me to get you out of here too? Who are you and what have you done with the self-centered Malfoy I’ve known since I was eleven?”

“I know you find it difficult to believe, but I really have done all of this shite for my family. I couldn’t manage to kill Dumbledore and I hate being forced to use Unforgivables on Muggles or Mudbloods just because they aren’t pure. The bloody lunatic is a half-blood himself! Who the fuck does he think he is? I would love for you to get me out of here, but as long as Mum is out and safe, I really couldn’t care less about what happens to me.”

“And just how am I supposed to do that, even if I did trust or believe a word you’re saying?”

“That’s not my job, Potter. You’re the Savior. I’m just the bloody cannon fodder. As for believing what I say, I’m going to do something that I have never done willingly for anyone else.”

Before he could lose his nerve, he pulled out his wand and opened his mind to the one person he felt worthy to judge his sincerity. Harry Potter was given full access to Draco’s mind and emotions because he didn’t think to block anything from Potter’s inspection.

While he could feel his curiosity, Draco knew that Potter was honest enough to not invade his privacy more than necessary. The most prevalent thing in Draco’s mind was the fear and horror over what was currently happening in his home and his true remorse for his part in the slaughter that had taken place at Hogwarts. He made sure that Potter saw he understood and forgave him the slashes across his chest and his regret at being such a complete bastard toward him and his friends over the years.

Just before he felt the fluttering leaving his mind, he realized that Potter had stumbled upon one of the thoughts that he hadn’t considered him finding. It was a particularly explicit wank fantasy he’d had a few months before finishing the Vanishing Cabinet which starred a certain blond Slytherin prefect and the Gryffindor Golden Boy alone in the Room of Requirement making full use of the facilities. Lips, tongues, and hands moved over beautiful expanses of exposed skin as moans and gasps echoed off the stone walls.

Gasping and taking a step back from Draco, he felt the other boy exit his mind. They were both flushed and Potter seemed to be breathing a little heavily. Draco blushed prettily but kept his head high and his eyes straight ahead, not showing any shame at the fantasy. He had shown Potter everything that he needed and had given him a bit of a show as well. Potter was lucky to get the show for free, he thought smugly.

“Well... that was unexpected.” Shuffling his feet and shoving his hands into his pockets seemed to be all the other boy could do for a moment before he remembered where they were. “Anyway, I see what you mean, Malfoy. You aren’t any happier with this situation than we are. I’m not sure what we will be able to do, but I assure you that if at all possible, I will make sure that you and your mother get out of here. I don’t want either of you to suffer the consequences of our actions. Now, you’d better get Griphook back up there before everyone starts wondering where you are.”

“Quite right. Come on, goblin, come with me. I’ll do what I can to keep you from being hurt anymore than you already were.” Pausing to look quickly back over his shoulder, Draco added in a sincere tone, “Thanks, Potter. I appreciate it.”

Draco paused as he felt a hand on his elbow. Looking back, he heard rather than saw the smirk in Potter’s voice. “You’re welcome, and maybe we can do something about that little dream I popped into when things aren’t so dire. Griphook, please make sure to tell them the sword is a fake. We are going to need that to get out of here and to defeat the Dark Lord. Can you do that for us?”

Draco vaguely saw the little goblin nodding to Potter while his mind was still boggled over the possibility of a chance with the star of most of his fantasies since third year, when he realized that he’d rather snog Potter than hex him. With a quick wink to Potter and a locking spell on the door, he moved quickly back up the stairs with Griphook and just a tiny sliver of hope.

As Draco was closing and locking the cell, he thought he heard something that sounded like the crack of someone Apparating. Couldn’t be that, he told himself, as there were strong wards in place to prevent Apparition. He took Griphook to the drawing room, where he was interrogated by the Crazy Bitch of Wiltshire. He tried to get his mother’s attention so that he could make sure that she stayed close to him in case they were able to make a break for it, but that was more difficult than originally planned since she was currently playing nursemaid to Granger. She jerked her head up quickly when she and everyone else in the room heard another sharp crack of Apparition, this one not only in his mind. When their eyes met, he tried with everything he had in him to let her know what was going on. Lucius shouted for Wormtail to go check out the noise and see what was happening with their prisoners. Narcissa moved away from the wounded girl who was now propped beside the wounded goblin thrown there by his aunt and edged her way towards Draco.

After only a few minutes, Draco heard a quiet voice practically speaking directly into his ear. “If it looks like things will turn into a fight, do your best to fight us but not really injure us. As soon as you’re able to, get your mother and go to the cell. Kreacher is there and will take you to a safe place. We’ll be behind you as quickly as we can.”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to get out too? And what do you mean fight you?”

“If things go as I’m expecting them to then Bellatrix will turn this into a fight and it will look too suspicious if both you and your mother aren’t fighting and then disappear. Fighting back will be no different than dueling back in second year, just maybe don’t throw a snake at me,” Potter said with a chuckle. “I don’t have time to try and talk him down this time. Don’t worry about the rest of us. We have Dobby and he will be able to get us to the safe house as soon as we’re done here.”

Glancing over his shoulder, Draco looked at his would-be rescuer and whispered in an earnest voice, “Please be careful. You’re our only hope, and I don’t just mean for my mother and me.”

A strong hand fell on Draco’s shoulder and squeezed lightly, “Thanks, Malfoy. I’ll do my best. Try to get your mum down to the dungeon as soon as you can. I don’t want any more people here than necessary. Besides, I want to make sure you two are safe,” Harry said shyly.

“Thanks, Potter. We’ll do our best to not get in your way.”

Minutes passed and Bellatrix decided she was ready to call for the Dark Lord now that she had the answers she needed. As Draco saw her reach for her forearm after telling Greyback that he could have Granger, he heard Weasley’s voice screaming for her to stop and then mayhem broke out. Draco saw his aunt wielding her wand almost as if she were holding a whip and remembered what Potter had said; he entered the fray and started shooting off spells at Potter while his mother was doing the same towards Weasley. She had apparently noticed that he wasn’t really trying to hurt the teens and was following his lead. Lucius had been stunned early in the altercation by Potter and was still lying prone against the hearth.

The flashes of colored light from the barrage of spells flying about stopped abruptly as Bella made herself known to the room again, standing with a small silver knife to Granger’s throat. She made the teens drop their wands and instructed Draco to collect them. He did as he was told and made sure that he was moving closer to the door leading to the dungeon, all the while checking to see where his mother was located.

Narcissa made her way to Draco, who was holding three wands, and cautiously watched to see what her sister had planned next. Draco heard her being asked to tie up the prisoners while Bella disposed of the Mudblood but he noticed an odd noise that caused him to look up and he saw the chandelier shaking as if it were about to fall. Then it did, almost as if in slow motion, and he saw the large crystal monstrosity dropping on his aunt as he vaguely heard Potter’s voice calling for Kreacher.

Draco saw the wizened old elf and recognized him from a visit he'd made to the Manor a few months prior. He absently wondered how Potter knew him, but shook himself out of his fog and ran to grab onto the elf while making sure his mother was holding onto them as well. He saw that she was quickly making her way toward them and that Potter and Weasley had grabbed the fallen goblin and their injured friend and were holding onto Dobby. Just as they were about to leave, Bellatrix shakily stood up, still clutching the small dagger, and looked from one of the small groups to the other. She looked shocked when she realized that the two elves were both formerly in the employ of herself or her family.

“You! How dare you defy your Masters? Either of you!”

Dobby straightened himself to his full height, which still wasn’t very tall, but he made it seem impressive anyway. “Dobby has no Master and Kreacher’s Master is Harry Potter. We will save Harry Potter and his friends.”

Bellatrix seemed to realize that Kreacher was holding onto Narcissa and Draco and gave an evil cackle as she spit out, “Friends? My sister and nephew are no friends of Harry Potter.”

Looking her sister straight in the eyes, Narcissa said calmly and with every bit of emotion she could put into her words, “No, sister, we aren’t friends of Harry Potter, but we are also not supporters of you and your twisted Master. He has ruined my family for long enough. I am taking Draco and we will do everything in our power to assist this young man in bringing about the ruin of the psychopath who is trying to tear apart our world.” She looked at Potter and his friends, then down to Kreacher, and nodded her head to let him know that she was ready to leave. Draco saw Potter do the same to Dobby but out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw something small and silver hurtling towards them just as they were spun into the nowhere of Apparition.

When he came back to himself, he found he was lying on a sandy stretch of beach. He dusted himself off and looked around for his mother and their companions. He saw his mother and quickly made his way to her side where Kreacher was fussing over her leg. When he got closer, he saw what the elf had been worrying over. His aunt’s silver dagger was embedded in her thigh almost chest level for the elf that had been beside her. He wasn’t sure if Bella had been aiming at a particularly painful and slow-to-heal area on her sister or if she had been aiming for Kreacher’s heart to keep them there since they couldn’t Apparate out of the manor without the house elf’s assistance.

“Mother! Are you all right? Is this your only injury or are you hurt somewhere else too?” Draco was frantic to make sure she was safe. This wasn’t supposed to happen; they were getting out of the Manor and away from the rest of the Death Eaters to keep her from harm. What had he done? But before he could get himself into too much of a lather, he felt a strong hand grasping his forearm to pull him back from his mother so that the two elves could use their magic to heal her wound. Turning to see the owner of the hand, he realized it was Potter. Of course it was. Every one of his worst moments since meeting him up until his forced incarceration in his home had been witnessed by this man. Why should this be any different?

“Darling, calm down and go thank Mr. Potter for his rescue while Dobby and Kreacher take care of me. I will be just fine. I just need a bit of healing and then I will be over to see you shortly. Mr. Potter, I cannot thank you enough. I would like to sit down with you and your friends soon to see what Draco and I can do to assist you. Now run along while I am looked after," Narcissa ordered.

Giving the Gryffindor a pained smile, Draco chuckled. “Well, it looks like the children have been dismissed and we are to go play nice until Mummy comes back.” Ignoring the muffled snicker, he moved toward the other small group he noticed on the beach. “I do want to thank you again for getting us out of there. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am that we’re away from that horrid place.”

With a shocked look, the other boy spoke in a quietly awed tone, “I never thought I’d hear you talk like that, Malfoy. That was your home. I know that you were worried for your mother and terrified of what they might do to your parents to get you to comply, but are you really wanting to stay away from the Manor after all this is over? Or just now while it’s being turned into the Asylum for the Criminally Insane and Ugly?”

Unable to hide the smirk, he turned to Potter and replied. “I don’t really know. I've lived there my whole life, but there have been so many nightmarish things happening there over the last months that I don’t know if I can really hope to outweigh the bad memories with the good ones. I almost feel as if I’ve had everything taken from me and I don’t know if I can ever have it back again. Does that make sense? I can’t even tell anymore.”

“I understand. It’s sort of the way I felt about Hogwarts. It was the only real home I’d known since my relatives were useless bastards and couldn’t possibly have cared less about whether I lived or died. Hogwarts made me feel safe, but I know it’s not now and that’s one of the things I’m fighting to get back. I refuse to let that son-of-a-bitch make me or any other kid feel unsafe in their home. If you want to get the Manor back, then I’m going to try to bloody well make that happen.” He threw a companionable arm around Draco’s shoulder and moved them towards the small house that he saw the others walking toward as well. “By the way, we’re at Shell Cottage. This is the home of Bill and Fleur Weasley if you were wondering.”

Stunned at what had just been shared with him, but glad that he had made the right decision for once in his life, Draco smiled at Potter and decided that he was going to try something. If he failed, it wouldn’t be the first time, but this time things were being done for the right reasons. “What do you say we start over? This time when I introduce myself, I’m not an arrogant prick and you aren’t the self-conscious little waif.” Laughing loudly at the obvious shock on the other boy’s face, Draco stuck out his hand to Harry and smiled, “Hi, I’m Draco Malfoy. I think we’re meant to be in the same year at Hogwarts.”

Catching on to where this was going, Potter smiled and grasped the offered hand. “I do believe you’re right. My name is Harry Potter. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope that we will get to know each other better. One can never have too many friends, don’t you agree?”

“Yes, I do. And speaking of friends, how is everyone else? Did they all get out safely?”

“Thanks for asking Malfoy, and yes everyone got out. Ron took Hermione up to the house to be looked at and Dean and Luna helped have Mr. Ollivander and Griphook set up in rooms to be tended to also. I’m just glad that no one was hurt more seriously. There have been too many deaths already in this war. I have a suggestion that might help a fraction with some of the others getting used to the idea of having you on our side now, if you’re up for it.”

Looking skeptically at his companion, Draco answered, “Well, it would obviously depend on the suggestion. What did you have in mind? Being tied down and plied with Veritaserum? Public humiliation by everyone I tormented? I would offer to bankroll your friends to recover what they’ve lost in the war so far, but I doubt that I would be able to get to my vaults.”

Turning to the blond and grabbing his shoulders to make sure he was paying attention, Harry started talking with a serious tone and expression. “I know that we have our history, but I truly hope that you were being sarcastic with the things you just said. You and your mother are out of the Manor and she seemed very willing to help in defeating You-Know-Who. That means a lot to me and will mean a lot to the others. I was referring to you and me, and I was only going to suggest we stop with the last name bullshite. If we’re to be friends, we should act like it. What do you say?”

“I say that you are a surprise to me at every turn, Harry. But is this really going to mean anything to any of the others or is it just for us?”

“Draco, I want to let everyone know that I’m willing to put the resentment and distrust behind me. I want you to know that I think that you are very brave to have even approached me tonight. You were willing to come to someone you thought was your enemy and ask for help – not for yourself, but for your mother. Then you opened your mind for me to see your sincerity and I know how scary that is. Snape tried to teach me Occlumency. He never wanted to help me, and this was the newest way to torment me. That man saw more of my mind that anyone needs to. That you would voluntarily open yourself up like that to me, of all people, showed more trust and faith than I have ever been given, even from my best friends. Please don’t try to devalue that and be a git.”

Draco didn’t know what to say. This impassioned little speech meant more to him than Harry would ever know. He had worked so hard to make his father proud of him but was always just that one little bit short of what was required. Harry, on the other hand, had just told him that he was brave and that he trusted him and appreciated his trust in return. This was a new feeling, but Draco needed to let him know how he felt as well. “I know you probably won’t believe this, but that really means a lot to me. I've tried to please so many people in the course of my life, so I’m finding it a bit hard to believe that you’re telling me this just because I wanted to save my mother’s life and my own arse. What you call bravery was desperation and I'm lucky that you even let me speak with you. I promise you that I will do whatever I can to help you and your friends defeat this bastard, and when it is over I hope that we can remain friends. I want that out in the open because you, Harry Potter, are one amazing man. You have had so many horrible things happen to you in your life, but you are one of the most open, honest, caring, and loyal people I have ever met. Those aren’t really traits that I’m familiar with, being Slytherin and a Malfoy, but I look forward to seeing them more now.”

Once again, Draco was shocked by the actions of one Harry James Potter. Harry got the biggest smile on his face after hearing Draco’s thoughts and he grabbed him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Draco wasn’t sure how to respond at first but soon he began to loosen up and wrapped his arms around the other boy to return the hug. He thought he could get used to that. He felt safe and warm in Harry’s arms and that was a very nice change from the way his day had started out.

“Well, it looks like you two have gotten past the gratitude stage. I think I approve,” said Narcissa with a motherly smile on her face. She gave a quick chuckle when both boys jumped and pulled out of the curious embrace she had just witnessed. “Come, let us go inside and begin to plot against a madman.” With this, she placed a hand on one of each boy's shoulders and walked with them towards the house.


End file.
